Reflections in the Mind
by ZombieMonkey
Summary: When a bomb blows half the Jeffersonian lab up, the team has to deal with the consequences. Warning; character death. Set after season 5.


**Spoilers: Anything after Season 5.**

**Disclaimer: Bones isn't mine, I wish it was so I could live I na big house with my own car. But alas, I'm just borrowing them and I promise to return them good as new.**

**A.N Just something I cooked up during my short writers block working on my V-day story for Fringe.**

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The clouds drifted lazily over the sky as the soft pattering of feet echoed over the gravel leading to the soft plush earth. It was one of those days where everything was at peace, tranquility and all that. Not that Dr. Temperance Brennan believed in anything as mundane as that. She believed in science, though after the last several months, her faith in science had diminished and she had begun to think of other more extra-sensitive things such as denial and compassion.

If being around Agent Booth or the other "squints" as he so lovingly called them had taught her anything, it was that sometimes she just needed to stop. Stop thinking. Stop being and just do. There would be time to think scientifically later, but for right now, in this single solitary moment as she gazed at the black casket in front of her, holding the one person she never expected to die something inside her snapped and she felt something akin to a fire blazing in her chest.

Vaguely she felt Booth standing beside her, always the emotional one of the duo. Now however he stood stoically, no doubt blaming himself for what had happened. The blast had nearly killed them all; the ruins of the lab the only hint of the massive destruction of the body that held the bomb. A tiny minuscule thing that had the power of destroying something so strong. She could remember being pushed aside by Sweets as he used his thin, breakable body to shield her from the blast. Booth hadn't been there when it happened; he had been issuing a warrant for Joshua Hornby, the mastermind of the whole ordeal.

As the smoke had cleared, Brennan realized that Sweets hadn't gotten up, instead his body hung limp over top hers, his face inches from her own. For the first time in her exquisite life she had been terrified beyond belief at what she had seen. Lance Sweets was dead, there was no going back as his lifeless eyes stared into her shocked and vaguely clear green ones. In the background she heard the sounds of sirens wailing as the others shakily got up. At the time she had only one thought; that perhaps Sweets eyes had become fixed in a single point and he couldn't move them. Still in her calm state she had shook Sweets shoulder, feeling the warm sticky liquid flow through her fingertips as the metal object shone in the red security lights.

It was Angela who had first noticed them lying there. Her shattered scream of anguish as she had rushed up, slipping in the blood that had once flowed through his veins enough to jar Brennen out of her stupor and into the moment. Without realizing she was shaking she looked into her best friends eyes and asked the silent question she was too unnerved to ask aloud. Angela had only shook her head as she looked at the lifeless form in front of her and stood up as Booth finally burst onto the scene, his gun out, eyes dangerous as he surveyed the scene.

Still Brennan hadn't been able to move, not wanting to disturb the evidence on top of her. It wasn't until she saw Booths face inches from hers that she realized what had actually happened. Sweets had saved her life. A simple act had ended in tragedy. Carefully he had moved the corpse - she wasn't yet ready to fully comprehend what was going on - and had helped her up, his eyes downcast, full of tears that he would not shed here. The shaking started once the cool breeze of the smoky atmosphere - what was once her pristine lab - hit her and she held herself together as the emergency crews finally emerged on scene. Feeling Booth supporting her as her knees buckled she allowed him to lead her away, her eyes never once leaving Sweets body, willing it to move.

Now 3 weeks after the incident had happened the investigation was over and she found herself standing at the grave site of her companion. Sweets; while being too young to fully understand anything such as life - had taught her many things over the years that she had known him, with his youthfulness and his veracity for life, he had taught her how to have fun while still maintaining that scientific way of life. And that single momentary thought was the one that terrified her more than anything. If science was truly real, then it would have caught the metallic object in the corpse that took his life. Sweets would be sitting in the diner with them having lunch and laughing about something Hodgins did before their next case came in.

Science had been her strong hold, even before she found out her father and brother were still alive, before she found out that love was possible. Before her life had changed. Now however she was wondering if all this scientific nonsense made it even possible to have a normal life anymore. Clearly it killed people if the black glimmering casket in front of her was any indication. Feeling a wetness on her cheek she looked up and realized that it wasn't raining like it would on normal funeral days. The sky was clear, now void of any clouds as if showing Brennen it was possible to smile again. Smiling was far from her mind though as she heard another, stronger set of foot falls coming close to her. She knew who it was though and allowed the figure to stand beside her, closing her eyes as a wave of sadness overcame her.

"It is not your fault Dr. Brennan." The soothing voice of one Gordon Gordon stated softly, his face turned towards the casket. "Dr. Sweets knew what he was doing by valiantly saving your life."

Brennan closed her eyes, the scene once again playing in her mind as she fought to overcome her despair. Opening them she turned her head towards the older, more sophisticated physiologist - turned chef and allowed a brief moment of calmness to flow through her. "Science failed me." she declared, as if that were the answer he was looking for.

She felt Booth shift beside her, his hand moving to the small of her back giving her the comfort she so sorely needed as Gordon replied, "Science has never failed you. It was his choice. He is a very brave man."

"Was." she corrected him without realizing she had done so.

As others began moving towards the casket, the ceremony about to being Brennan took the chance and looked up away from the casket. Her heart beat steadily in her chest, a rumba no one could hear but her as she thought of the implications of Sweets decision. Daisy would have to raise their child alone, possibly having to give up her dream of working for her. The lab surely wouldn't be the same without the young doctor walking around, quirking his eyebrow whenever Brennan said something articulate.

"It's going to be okay Bones." Booth murmured beside her, stepping closer to give her comfort without actually hugging her. "Do what your heart is telling you to do." he added in a gentle whisper, so soft she was sure Gordon wouldn't hear it.

Allowing a soft sigh to escape her lips, Brennan gazed at the casket again as a shudder ran through her. Eyes pricking with un-shed tears she stood tall slightly put out by these strange feelings of familiarity.

"I wanted to cry during your funeral Booth. But I couldn't. And now I feel as if I should cry here too." her confession rang out over the silent area, and she missed the soft murmurings of the others as they began to reminisce about the young boy.

"Bones…" Booth started his focus now solely on her. "You have your own way of grieving. We don't expect you to cry, this is just a time to reflect on Sweets and his life." he said with a small quiver in his voice.

"I know."

Her heart told her that Booth needed comfort and she found herself sidling up to him, feeling his strong body close to hers. Wrapping an arm around his waist she felt him tense before relaxing into her touch and heard a soft sob escape his lips. Her heart gave a pang of guilt as her brain began to reel of scientific data about the lacrimal glands allowing the lacrimal fluid to flow freely from his eyes. Giving her head a shake she forgot about the science and allowed herself to feel the pain and grief that was slowly overwhelming her.

As the preacher came up to the front of the casket, standing beside the wreath with Sweets picture on it and the words "Rest In Peace." Brennan finally realized what family meant. She had lost a family member, one that would never be returned to her. Yet she knew she had other family members, blood related or not that would help her through this. Past and future members of their little lab family would soon realize that in this moment, Brennan was truly at one with her heart. And as the preacher began his sermon, telling everyone what kind of man Lance Sweets was, Brennan allowed the tears of grief to flow down her cheeks, a sob escaping her throat.

Life would continue, with her family beside her.


End file.
